Page:History of Woman Suffrage Volume 6.djvu/610

 594 HISTORY OF WOMAN SUFFRAGE office secretary; Mrs. Rewman and Miss Alice Lorraine Daly in the finance department; Mrs. Lewis L. Leavitt, chairman of the Minnehaha committee; Miss Harriet Grant of Huron and Mrs. R. H. Lewis of Mitchell. The whole structure rested on the county workers. There was never a Fair that was not cov- ered nor a Teachers' nor a Farmers' Institute nor a political meeting. Everywhere that voters gathered, there they were." It may be presumed that those who would be disfranchised until they had completed their naturalization would cast their votes against the amendment but these were more than counter- acted by American citizens, who, even if they did not believe in woman suffrage, would vote for the amendment because of this part of it. The election took place Nov. 6, 1918, and the amendment received 49,318 ayes and 28,934 noes; carried by 20,384. The following figures show the progress made from campaign to campaign: Opposing majority in 1910, 22,419; in 1914, 11,914; in 1916, 4,934. The women of South Dakota are deeply grateful to the Na- tional American Woman Suffrage Association, which always helped generously with organizers, speakers and money. It con- tributed $7,500 to this campaign. Various States were loyal and helpful and have the fullest appreciation and gratitude. RATIFICATION. The final scene in the drama of woman suf- frage was staged on December 4, 1919, at 12 140 a. m., when the members of the Legislature, coming to Pierre at their own expense and at great inconvenience, in the middle of winter, unanimously ratified the Federal Suffrage Amendment. Many States were having special sessions for this purpose but Gov- ernor Norbeck, who would have to call one in January, did not wish to do so before then. He agreed, however, that if a ma- jority of the members would come to Pierre at their own ex- pense in order to ratify the amendment, he would call a session for that purpose. This State has a new law which requires that in December of the year preceding an election there shall be "proposal meet- ings" held at the capital to propose candidates for nomination at the March primaries, each party holding a separate meeting. This year there were to be also three party conventions at the